WEST WINDSOR — The magical run for the West Windsor-Plainsboro American Legion baseball team continued yesterday as the team most had counted out after losing its first game in the District 3 Tournament found a way once again.

Behind the inspiring play of pitcher Ryan McGovern and catcher Pat Boyle, as well as some big hits from Ryan Dontas, Casey Litwack, Ben Ruta and Brendan O’Leary, WW-P defeated Mount Laurel, 4-3, in seven innings to finish second in District 3 and give manager Don Hutchinson quite the birthday present.

The team which finished tied for the Mercer County American Legion League title at the end of the regular season before finishing third by virtue of a one-day playoff will advance to today’s State Final 8.

West Windsor-Plainsboro (20-8) will return to Mercer County Park at 1 p.m. today to play District 2 champion Flemington Post 159 on Field 1.

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“It didn’t look good after we lost the first game,” Boyle said. “Nothing really describes it. After we had a chance to win the league, but lost that, then we lost to Bordentown and then lost to Brooklawn (Post 72 Red), that was three in a row. Then to win four straight to make states is amazing.”

Equally amazing was what WW-P’s pitchers did over the last two days.

Despite the fact that Hutchinson’s rotation was short-staffed, Dontas, P.J. Silva and yesterday McGovern combined to limit three opponents to 11 hits.

“It’s really been our last four games,” said Boyle, adding in Jeff Paskewitz, who pitched WW-P to a 6-4 win over South Amboy Post 62. “Our pitchers gave up seven runs in the past four games. You can’t really beat that.”

McGovern, who had not had a decision since July 2, came up with a jem as he went all seven innings, held Mount Laurel to four hits, walked just one and struck out five, including two in the seventh inning with a runner in scoring position.

“It was extra motivation that this could be my last game,” the 18-year-old right-hander said. “I used my curve ball 80 percent of the time and my cutter. It kept them off balance.”

“Ryan’s off-speed pitches were really working well today,” Boyle said. “He threw way more curve balls than he did fastballs, and it really worked because he was locating it. After the first time through the order, they couldn’t touch him.”

McGovern held the home team to two hits over the final six innings.

Still, after one inning, Mount Laurel had a 2-1 lead on the strength of Shane Garrett’s triple and an RBI ground out by Jordan Glover.

WW-P would not relent against Mount Laurel left-hander Kevin Milley, who, like McGovern, went the distance.

With two outs in the third inning, Ruta, who had driven in Dontas in the first, beat out an infield single for his second hit, then came all the way around on a double by Litwack to tie the game.

When O’Leary beat out an infield single and stole second in the fifth, Dontas scored him with a double to give WW-P a 3-2 lead. But Mount Laurel took advantage of an error to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Glover that plated Kyle Long.

WW-P was not about to fold. In the top of the seventh, Boyle drew a walk and stole second base. With two outs and two strikes, Dontas delivered a single to center field, on which Boyle came charging around to score the game-winner.

“Pat was one of the keys to this game,” McGovern said. “He’s a great catcher. He called a good game. He blocked a lot of balls in the dirt, and then he turned that walk he drew in the seventh into the winning run.”

“I saw coach waving me around,” Boyle said. “After I saw the catcher go up to get the throw, I knew I was in. It was exciting.”

Their hearts kept pounding in the bottom of the inning when Mount Laurel’s Joe Frey singled and stole two bases. But McGovern calmly struck out Pat Rodier and pinch hitter Andrew Stockhecker before getting Long to pop out to end the game and keep WW-P’s magical run going.